Ellie's PageSixth Grade Wiki Front PageNumber the Stars
WHERE IS THE THEME?
SettingsFirst Setting: This story takes place in Copenhagen, Denmark, in 1943, which is being occupied by Germany. Germany is more powerful than Denmark, so there are Nazi soldiers on almost every street corner.Second Setting: The other place that this story takes place in is Gilleleje, Denmark, in 1943, where Uncle Henrik lives. This is on the ocean, and across the ocean is Sweden, a free country. Good descriptions of the settings!
Reading Synopsis
November 8th
Chapters 1-3

In these chapters, Annemarie Johansen and her friend Ellen Rosen are racing when two Nazi soldiers stop them, tell them not to run, and to go home and study. Annemarie often thinks of things that her family had before the war, like pink frosted cupcakes and cream. One night, Annemarie's sister Kirsti asks her to tell a story to her (a fairy tail to be exact). Then Annemarie starts thinking about King Christian X, Denmark's current king, who any Dane (Danish person) would die for to guard. Later that night, Annemarie's mom wakes her up because Annemarie's sister Lise's (who died years before this) fiancé (they never got married because Lise died) Peter came to visit. He told the Johansens that the Nazi soldiers are closing any shops that Jews own, and Annemarie instantly thinks of the Rosens, who are Jewish. Although Peter says that they will be OK, Annemarie still worries, but then goes back to bed, thinking that if any harm does come to the Rosens, she could be their guard, but then doesn't think that she would have enough courage. Finally, she goes to bed thinking that she is just an ordinary person, who would not be called upon for courage. This is a good point and will be important later.
November 9th
Chapters 4-5

In these chapters, the Johansens find out that the Nazi soldiers are going to "relocate" all Danish Jews. So, to protect the Rosens, Peter is going to help Ellen's parents hide, and Ellen will stay with the Johansens. Then, in the middle of the night, when the Nazi soldiers come to the Rosen's apartment to arrest them and they are not there, the soldiers come to the Johansen's apartment to look in case they are hiding the members of the Rosen family. Ellen and Annemarie are in Annemarie's room, when they hear what is going on. Annemarie then notices that Ellen is wearing a Star of David neklace, so she tells Ellen to take it off, but it won't unclasp. Then, Annemarie rips it off, (for Ellen's safety) breaking it. Ellen then pretends to be Annemarie's sister, and that is working until one soldier gets suspicious of Ellen's dark hair, and Kirsti (Annemarie's five year old sister) and Annemarie's blonde hair. Thankfully, Mr. Johansen gets a baby picture of Lise, because when she was a baby, she had dark hair. The soldiers believe that Ellen is Lise, but they rip up the picture up before they leave.

November 10th
Chapters 6-7

In these chapters, Mrs. Johansen decides that she will take Annemarie, Kirsti, and Ellen with her to visit her brother (Annemarie and Kirsti's Uncle) Henrik's house. When they are on the bus at one of the stops, two Nazi soldiers board. They seem to be everywhere! The soldiers approach Mrs. Johansen and ask her where she is traveling to, and she tells them to her brother's house. Then they ask if she is visiting for the New Year, and although she knows that they are asking if she is Jewish, she plays dumb, and says that it is only October. Then, the soldiers walk away right after Kirsti tells them about her new shoes that have been painted black. When they arrive at Uncle Henrik's house, he is still out fishing, so they make dinner for when he gets back. That night, while Kirsti is sleeping, Annemarie and Ellen are in their room, Annemarie starts listening to her mom and Uncle talk. The two are very close, she knows, and every time that they visit and talk, they laugh. Even though this is true, tonight, as Annemarie listens to them talk, she knows something is different, because they are not laughing at all.

November 11th
Chapters 8-9
In these chapters, since Annemarie is at her Uncle's farm, there is cream and butter at breakfast, which is a great surprise for Annemarie, Ellen, and Kirsti. Now that they are on the farm, to Annemarie, the Nazi soldiers seem like just a silly old ghost story. That afternoon, when Uncle Henrik returns from fishing, Mrs. Johansen and him talk and laugh, but then, Uncle Henrik asks his sister if the house is ready, Mrs. Johansen says yes, and that she has moved some of the furniture around so that it will fit, Annemarie becomes very confused, and asks what they are talking about. When Uncle Henrik tells her that her Great-aunt Birte has died, she becomes even more confused, but now also suspicious because she does not have a Great-aunt Birte. That night, Annemarie confronts Uncle Henrik about knowing that there is no Great-aunt Birte, and he asks her how brave she is, which startles her. She then says that she is not very brave, and he disagrees, and tells her that it is way easier to be brave when you do not know everything, and that is why he does not know everything and why Mrs. Johansen does not know everything. Although, they do know enough. She understands what he is saying, and he tells her that she is correct about there being no Great-aunt Birte, but so that she can be brave, he will not tell her anything more, yet. When a closed casket is put in the living room, many people start coming to the house, people that Annemarie does not know. Then, Uncle Henrik tells Ellen to come with him outside, and minutes after, Peter enters the house, but seems very serious. After that, Ellen returns inside, being held by her father, with her mother next to them.

November 12th
Chapters 10-11

In these chapters, things are very intense. Everybody in the room is very serious, and Uncle Henrik announces that he must go (Annemarie does not know where). Then, since it is late at night, Annemarie falls asleep on a chair, but is later woken by headlights from a car. Then, some soldiers come into the house and ask why there are so many people there, but Mrs. Johansen is quick-witted, and says that there has been a death. The soldier asks Annemarie who died, and then she thinks about what her Uncle told her earlier about being able to be braver when you do not know as much, but lies anyways, saying that her Great-aunt Birte died. He then asks Annemarie's mother why the casket is closed, because usually at wakes, the casket is open. She tells him that Great-aunt Birte died of a disease that may still be on her body, so the doctor told her to leave it sealed, but the doctor was probably just not thinking it through, because a disease could not still be on a dead body, so she should open it. Mrs. Johansen is reaching to open the casket, when the soldier slaps her across the face, surprising the people in the room very much. Then, the soldier tells her to either put out the candles that are lit, or, close the blinds, and he walks out the door. After that, Peter begins reading a psalm, and opens the casket. Inside is not a body, but many blankets, sweaters, and coats. Peter then distributes the things to the people in the room, and privately gives Mr. Rosen a small package for Uncle Henrik. (Annemarie does not know what is in the package) Mrs. Johansen distributes bags of cheese, bread, and apples to everybody, and Peter takes a group down a path to get on Uncle Henrik's boat and travel to Sweden, a free country, leaving Mrs. Johansen to lead the Rosens down the path twenty minutes after.

November 13th
Chapters 12-13

In these chapters, Annemarie has to say goodbye to the Rosens. This is very sad for her and the Rosens, but they must be safe and go to Sweden. When Mr. Rosen is going outside, he trips on a loose step, but Mrs. Rosen helps him regain his balance. Annemarie goes back into her Uncle's house, and she estimates the time that her mother will be home at - which should be 3:30a.m. She then goes to sleep, but is wakes up a little after 4:00a.m. She wonders where her mother is, but then thinks that her mother got home, but probably was so tired that she just went straight to bed. Annemarie then goes into the room that her mother sleeps in, but her mother is not there. When she looks out of the window, she sees a figure lying at the end of the path, and realizes with fear, that it is her mother. Annemarie runs outside to her, and finds out that her mother tripped on a root while she was coming home, fell, and possibly broke her ankle. Annemarie helps her get inside, but then notices a small package in the grass by the doorstep. She picks it up, and her mother gasps because it is the package that Peter gave to Mr. Rosen to give to Uncle Henrik. When Mr. Rosen tripped on the step, the package must have fallen out, but nobody noticed because it was so dark outside. Annemarie has to take the package to him because whatever is in there is very important, but she must get it to him before he leaves for Sweden. This is a very dangerous trip for her to make, so in case any soldiers stop her, she will put it in the bottom of a picnic basket along with an apple, some cheese, and bread, so that it will seem like she is just taking her Uncle his lunch that he forgot. After Annemarie organizes the basket, she runs to the path.

November 14th
Chapters 14-15

In these chapters, Annemarie is running along the path, thinking about the story of Little Red-Riding Hood, when she hears a growl, and four Nazi soldiers with their two dogs come out and stop her. She acts like Kirsti did on that day when the soldiers stopped them in Copenhagen. The soldiers take out the bread and fead it to their dogs, and (like Kirsti would) Annemarie yelled at them not to (but they did anyways). Then, the soldier picks up the cheese, apple, and napkin, and then he sees the package at the bottom, and asks what it is. Annemarie starts crying, and yells at them for ruining her Uncle's "lunch". When the soldier opens the package, all that is in it is a handkerchief. The soldiers leave Annemarie, she picks up the things that were thrown on the ground (the apple and the handkerchief - the soldier put the cheese back in her basket), and runs to her Uncle's boat. She is just on time, and gives him the basket, in which he sees the handkerchief, and is relieved. Uncle Henrik sees her confused look and tells her that everything is OK, and to tell her mother that everything is OK.
You have done a great job writing your synopses, Ellie. Now, you should update your description of setting to include Uncle Henrik's house or village. Mrs. S.

November 15th
Chapters 16-17

In these chapters, Uncle Henrik tells Annemarie about how Peter is in the Resistance force, which makes sense to Annemarie because he brings her parents the secret newspaper, and is always on the move. He also tells Annemarie that he has a secret place in his boat where he hid the Rosens and the other Jewish people. The dogs that the Nazi soldiers have can smell people in the secret places in the boats, so there is a drug made by doctors that makes dogs loose their sense of smell. The handkerchief that Annemarie ran through the forest to give to Uncle Henrik has the drug sprayed on it, and that is why it is so important. After Annemarie left, soldiers and their dogs came to search the boat but Uncle Henrik took out the handkerchief so that the dogs would not be able to smell the people. They then were able to get safely to Sweden. The war finally ended two years later, when Annemarie was twelve. Sadly though, Peter had been captured and killed by Germans, but in the short time that he was in jail, he wrote a letter asking to be buired next to Lise. Annemarie then finds out that Lise was killed also because she was in the Resistance. Then, Annemarie goes into her room and gets Ellen's Star of David neklace, and asks her father if he can fix it. When he says yes, she decides that she will wear it herself untill the Rosens return to Copenhagen.

November 16th
Afterword

In this chapter, the author, Lois Lowry, tells about what of Annemarie's story is true, and what is false. Lois Lowry knows about this because her friend Annelise Platt was living in Copenhagen during the war. When Denmark (King Christian X) surrendered is when Germany started occupying Denmark. It is true that King Christian rode his horse down the street every morning, and the story that Mr. Johansen told Annemarie about the teenager who told a soldier that all of Denmark is his guard is also true. When the Rosens gathered to celebrate for the New Year and they find out that all Danish Jews would be "relocated" by Nazis is another true part of the story. The drugs for the Nazi's dogs on handkerchiefs is (surprisingly) also one of the many true parts of the story. Although Peter is a fictional character, what he did - being in the Resistance and dying because of it - is something that many people did. None of the characters are real, but this story is very realistic (for that time period). It is mostly based on facts and stories of people's lives back then.PlotlineExposition: Annemarie Johansen is best friends with Ellen Rosen, a Jewish girl. They live in Copenhagen, Denmark in 1943.Initiating Incident: When the Rosens and other Jews gather to celebrate for the New Year, the rabbi announces that the Nazi soldiers have the names of all Danish Jews and have thier house addresses. To help the Rosens, Ellen stays with the Johansens, and Peter Neilson hides Mr. and Mrs. Rosen.Rising Action: Mrs. Johansen takes Ellen, Kirsti, and Annemarie with her to visti her brother Henrik. When they are on the train, some Nazi soldiers get on looking for any Jewish people. After a few weeks at Uncle Henriks farm, they host a fake wake. There is a casket full of clothing and blankets to give to Jewish refugees that will be (hopefully) escaping to Sweden. Then, some Nazi soldiers come to the farm, and ask what is going on. They believe the wake story, but question Mrs. Johaansen. Then, after they leave, Uncle Henrik (secretly) takes a group of people to his boat (to escape to Sweden). Mr. Rosen was supposed to give Uncle Henrik a package with a drugged handkerchief that will make the Nazi soldier's dogs temporaraly loose their sense of smell so that they will not smell the people hiding, but it dropped out of his pocket without him noticing. Annemarie is bringing it to him when some soldiers and their dogs stop her and question her. Although the handkerchief is exactly what they are looking for, they do not notice and leave her alone.Climax: Annemarie delivers the handkerchief to Uncle Henrik, and now the plan should work perfectly.
IT IS ACTUALLY HER MEETING WITH THE SOLDIERS IN THE WOODS.
Resolution: All of the Jewish refugees get safely to Sweden, and are OK. Two years later, the war ends, so they will be able return to Copenhagen soon..

Where is your description of the major characters?

Characters: Kirsti:
5 years old
Doesn't pay close attention - When Uncle Henrik and her
mother tell her that Great-aunt Birte died, she just says that
she has never seen a dead person, even though there is no
Great-aunt Birte
Brave - She yells at and slaps a soldier in the begining of the book
Careless - She doesn't care that she slapped and yelled
at and slapped soldier

Annemarie:

10 years old
Pays close attention - When Uncle Henrik and her mother tell
her that Great-aunt Birte died, she knows that they are lying,
because she knows that there is no Great-aunt Birte
Cautious - When the soldiers stop her in the middle of her race
with Ellen and ask what they are doing, she starts talking but
then stops because she thinks that she should just answer
their question
Nervous - When she is on the train going to Uncle Henrik's farm and Kirsti is about to say something to the soldiers, she gets nervous that she will tell them that Ellen is Jewish Theme:Being brave does not mean doing something dangerous and not being scared; it means doing something that might be dangerous but doing it anyways because you know that you should. In this story, the Johansens help the Rosens get safely out of Denmark. They were doing a very dangerous thing but they did it anyways. Annemarie did not think that she was brave, but then her Uncle Henrik tells her another way of looking at bravery.